Bustard conservation Plan

Source-This post on Bustard conservation Plan has been created based on the article “Rewilding, artificial insemination, population study; Rs 56 crore approved for next phase of Bustard conservation” published in “The Indian Express” on 1 July 2024.

Why in the news?

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has recently approved Rs 56 crore for the next phase of the conservation of Great Indian Bustard (GIB) and Lesser Florican.
The conservation programme has been running since 2016 for long-term recovery of critically endangered GIB and Lesser Florican. As of now, around 140 GIBs and fewer than 1,000 Lesser Floricans are surviving in the wild.

Component of Plan-

A)The first component includes targets like completing the conservation breeding centre in Ramdevra, Jaisalmer, developing the Sorsan Lesser Florican facility, preparing for releasing captive-bred birds, releasing Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) in Rajasthan and other areas, monitoring them after release, and conducting artificial insemination.

B) The second component comprises in-situ conservation of GIBs in other range states such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. This component will be implemented by WII along with state governments.

C)From 2024 to 2026, Wildlife Institute of India will survey the population of Great Indian Bustards (GIBs) in Jaisalmer and other states where they live, and also estimate the population of the lesser florican across its entire range.

D) During the 2024-2029 phase, there will be a focus on developing and implementing artificial insemination techniques as a backup to captive-breeding conservation efforts. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII) has partnered with the Abu Dhabi-based International Fund for Houbara Conservation for this initiative.

Threats to Species

A) Both species have declined due to hunting, habitat loss, and predators preying on their eggs.

B) Overhead power lines have become a significant threat to Great Indian Bustards, with a study from 2017-18 estimating that 88,000 birds of various species die annually from collisions with these lines.

UPSC Syllabus-Species in News